Of rabbits and sleepy servants
by Veilwuarrah
Summary: An observant!Arthur contemplates a tired!Merlin's schedule and observes the small signs. Hunting for two. Rabbit for dinner. banter, bromance; Oneshot.


**Yea.. I think my subconscious is trying to tell me something there with all the sleepy!Merlin ideas I'm getting. _*nervous laughter*_ Aaanyways, I'm always more productive when I should be busy with something else. ehehe.. I'm itching to get going already! _Argh! _**

**So. Hope you like this little scribbling~ As always: feedback much appreciated! (I still am distracted so, let me know if there are wild typos roaming around..) Enjoy~**

**.*.**

He loved Guinevere. He really loved his wife. And after all they've been though to finally be together, they could really value each other.

And there were the knights. Comrades. Friends. Brothers. Not all of them noble born, but hearts more noble than any men Arthur ever met. They were the ones that stayed beside him; they were the ones that stayed loyal and fought for him even when all seemed so lost that even he, Arthur had lost hope. Knighting them seemed to be a small reward for their loyalty.

Then there was Merlin.

_Merlin.._

The very first person that got close to him; that _really_ got close to him. Back then he had a lot of "admirers" and "friends" and "servants" and most of them just falling into the category of complete bootlickers, always agreeing; always cheering; always showing their good sides with their good smiles to get in his good graces, but not Merlin; first time they met he called him his _friend_, then called him a _prat_, then a royal _prat_; then a dollop-head; and clot pole.. and the king smiled to himself thinking of all the other names his manservant gave him throughout the years. Sometimes it was called for, other times.. he was just pushing his luck. _Really pushing his luck._

Back then he was furious. What was his father thinking giving this silly peasant the reward of being his _manservant_? _HIS_ manservant? Manservant to the _prince of Camelot_? The boy was a peasant; an incredible clumsy one at that; unknowing of things regarding nobles and anything about life in a castle. He had _no idea_ what it means to work for royalty. - But he learnt. Surprisingly he learnt.

Arthur overheard him talking to Gwen about armor; asked the cook about the prince's meals; talked to the stablemen about saddles and horses, and the prince saw books in Gaius's room, and the young prince was certain that the old physician can't have been interested in names of armor pieces, weapons and rules of etiquette.

_So he did try_, Arthur realized; thus the prince figured he should too, - not as much to be noticed, but just enough; - and be a bit more enduring with the idiot. He did mess up a lot, he was never on time, never knowing when to hold his mouth shut and the list continued to the conclusion that probably he was the worse manservant a royal-born can have, but still there was something in his dedication and his loyalty that made it all worth putting up with. He drank poison for him. He rode to battles with him. He always tagged along wherever the young man went; may it be patrol or battles, fighting magical creatures; rescuing friends.. _indeed,_ it was after Merlin showed up in his life, that he actually started having friend. _Real_ friends.

He would poke Arthur about his decisions, he would question his motives, he would challenge him in every way possible, and put the prince, and later the king to his thoughts.

.

The curtains got pulled aside with the all too familiar "Rise and shine!" and Arthur grabbed the first pillow he got hold of and tossed it in the direction he presumed his manservant to be; his snickering telling him that the man managed to either duck it just in time or defended himself against the vicious cushion efficiently.

"Time to get up, Sire!" he heard it again from up close and grabbed the next pillow, but this time to hide his head under it instead of tossing it but to no avail, as he felt his covers being pulled off. He quickly grabbed hold of it, but then felt his arms being grabbed and next thing he knew he was being mercilessly dragged off his bed.

"How dare you?!" Arthur tried to sound authoritative, but even he had to admit he probably wasn't sounding or looking too threatening as he crashed onto the floor with a thud, when Merlin let go of him a few inches above the floor.

"I'll have you in the stocks for this!" the pile made of a king and his bedcovers threatened the manservant. Arthur glared up at him fuming, but Merlin just looked on with amusement. And he was smiling; with that idiotic, annoying, goofy, lopsided, contagious grin of his.

"Right." He said then pulled the king on his feet getting the cover untangled from his legs and continued to get the ruler of Camelot up and ready for the day, no matter the amount of insults the man tossed at him and threats he produced meanwhile.

Once properly awake, dressed and fed, Arthur found himself flooded with paperwork, while his manservant fiddled around the chambers babbling about nonsense, despite being aware that his king was trying to focus on his work.

"Shut up, Merlin." Said the king not even looking up, knowing he will have to repeat that in a little bit, because the man somehow was just unable to keep his mouth from yapping about.. about_.. things_. Hell, he didn't even know what he was talking about half the time. But since he was tidying the royal chamber he couldn't send him away and Arthur felt no urge to move to the council room to sort the reports. _What a ridiculous idea to begin with!_ Why should a king go and hide and try to get away from his servant to have some work done.

The next _'Would-you-shut-up, Merlin?!'_ was already on the tip of his tongue, but then all of a sudden the servant became quiet. Arthur willing-unwilling looked up to see what the cause of this his silence was, only to see his manservant holding onto the bedpost with a hand, rubbing his eyes with the other and slightly swaying on his feet.

Worry instantly washed through the blonde, gripping at his stomach.

"Merlin?"

The dark haired turned and smiled at him.

"Yes, Arthur?"

"Are you alright?"

"Think so." He mumbled, giving his eyes another rub and letting go of the post. "Maybe I should eat something."

"You haven't had breakfast?" Arthur straightened in his seat incredulously.

"Ah.. didn't have time. I wanted to finish sharpening your sword."

"That's what happens when you don't finish _yesterday's _chores on time, _Mer_lin." Arthur nodded with a fatherly expression, earning him a grimace from his manservant before the boy continued picking up the laundry, trying to overcome the wave of dizziness that hit him from bending down all of a sudden. _"Uh."_

"Merlin." He looked up again to the king's voice. Arthur's face serious again, he motioned to the other end of the table. "You can have that.. if you like." And following his glance Merlin caught sight of his leftovers from breakfast. There still was a piece of bread, an apple and some meat untouched.

He let the basket down and nodded.

"Thank you." He said with a humble smile and made his way to the table.

"Don't mention it." Arthur said turning back to his papers. "Least until you stuff your mouth you'll be quiet."

Merlin glared at him but then his expression eased and got to take a bite out of the apple.

Arthur couldn't help but wonder just when they have become so close. It seemed normal for the king to have his servant sit at a table with him and eat his leftovers.

An odd feeling struck him a he glanced up at the young man, - literally stuffing the bread in his mouth. _'He must have been hungry_', Arthur figured, and turned back to reading a report. He wondered for a moment, if feeding Merlin would grant him with silence in the mornings.

.

"Let's go hunting." Arthur said all of a sudden.

"What?" The warlock looked up from the fireplace where he sat on the ground cleaning Arthur's boots.

"Hunting. I want to go hunting."

"You... can't?" Merlin furrowed his brows. "You've got reports to finish and a meeting to attend to in the afternoon."

"Nonsense, Merlin. I'm the king." He straightened in his armchair. "And I say we go hunting, so we shall go hunting! Guinevere can take care of the meeting. Reports can wait." He said and with that he started packing the stacks of paper together. "I want some good old hunting. Nothing more, nothing less."

Merlin was confused at the sudden idea, but he was already standing in front of Arthur by the time he finished and looking up at his servant he couldn't help but notice he really wasn't making a secret out of not being all that fond of the idea. _More than usual._ But just _when_ was Merlin ever fond of hunting?  
"What?" he barked. "You already talked me out of training in the morning; I can't sit at my desk all damned day! Get our gear and ready the horses, Merlin!"

The manservant sighed with resignation. "Who should I assemble?"

"No-one. Just the two of us."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Must you question my every decision?!"

"No, Sire." He said slipping out of the room in a rush.

.

Guinevere understood.

No, she wasn't happy about having to deal with the meeting all of a sudden, she had other duties too, despite Gaius helping her out at times, but she understood, that her husband wanted some time to let the pressure off. Besides, they could always postpone the meeting; they were the royal couple after all.

She walked with the king to the courtyard, while they talked.

"Aren't you going to take the knights?" the queen asked worriedly when they reached the courtyard and she spotted the two horses.

"No need."

"Arthur you should be more careful, you are a king now.."

"It's alright, Guinevere." The king cut her off. "It's just hunting. And I'll have Merlin with me."

"Merlin? Arthur, he's hardly a knight.."

"We'll. Be. Fine." The king said gripping the woman's arms and looking into her eyes. Eventually she smiled and kissed him.

"Just be careful."

"Don't worry, I will." Arthur said reassuringly and smiling with adoration at his wife. "I'll bring you a lovely stag as a prize!" he added with pride and she laughed, but then she spotted something behind the blonde and as she looked passed him, her smile slowly became a frown.

"What's Merlin doing?"

Arthur turned to see what Gwen was staring at and spotted his manservant standing next to his horse with his forehead against the saddle, and eyes closed.

"Merlin!"

The dark haired picked his head up, quickly adjusting the straps, as if that's what he's been doing a minute ago.

"Ready when you are, Sire!" he barked and held the horse for Arthur to mount it. The king gave him a doubtful look then pulled himself onto the saddle and took the reins.

"Merlin?" Gwen approached the manservant warily putting a hand on his arm, as he fiddled with his saddlebag. "Are you alright?"

The warlock looked at her, wearing a signature smile.

"Yea.. Of course." He nodded, but he wondered if Gwen's lingering glance on his face would miss the dark circles under his eyes, and they would betray him to the queen's ever observant eyes.

Gwen smiled kindly at him and gave his arm a squeeze.

"Take care, alright? Both of you."

"Of course, milady." He nodded convincingly and pulled himself on his mount, letting out a groan louder then intended.

Gwen smiled at him and stepped back. She was still finding the title odd to get used to.

Merlin led the horse up to Arthur, as the king waited.

"About time! Thought it will take you all day to get on that horse." He said impatiently, but smiled all the while.

"You're horrible when it comes to patience." Merlin remarked.

"I see you packed." Arthur said motioning to the three bags strapped to his manservant's horse.

"_Someone_ has to." Merlin remarked with a smirk and with a final wave to the queen, they rode the horses out of the courtyard.

.

"Why re you so quiet?" Arthur snapped all of a sudden, when they were already out in the fields and the forest just up ahead.

Merlin looked at him confusedly. "'Cos you always yell at me to shut up?"

"That never stopped you before." He smirked and felt relieved to see the servant smile as well. In truth Arthur found it unsettling how Merlin was quiet throughout the whole ride so far. There was an odd sense or reassurance whenever Merlin babbled. Sure it was annoying while he had paperwork to do, but now, out in the fields with just the two of them, like old times, it was something he'd grown to enjoy. However this time his servant was uncharacteristically quiet.

"I know you hate hunting, Merlin, but it's good fun, if you give it a chance and a try."

The servant stared at him, and the king knew he wasn't going to convince him any time soon.

After a little more riding in nervous silence, Merlin stopped his horse and looked across the clearing.

"What?" Arthur looked as well, seeing his servant dismount and fiddle with his bag.

"Don't tell me you have to pee already.."

"No! I just want to collect these."

"Merlin, you can pick flowers on the way back."

"It'll be just a minute..!"

"We are supposed to be going hunting." Arthur waved his hands incredulously.

"Gaius will be needing these come tomorrow or after that, and these grow pretty far from Camelot, so I won't have time to get them." Merlin explained a little irritated, crouching over a group of herbs and continued picking the pale leaves.

The king sighed and decided to look around while he waited for his servant to finish collecting herbs.

He glanced over to Merlin and had to agree that coming all the way out here just for some herbs would be time consuming; in the same time he realized what the extra bag was for on Merlin's saddle. _The little sneak, he was preparing for this_, he thought but said nothing, figuring there was indeed a lot to do for the man.

"You need help?"

"No." came the reply from somewhere behind the horse.

"You think I couldn't pick herbs?"

"Its not about picking them, Arthur, its about knowing what to pick. I wouldn't want to wake up with crazy weed in my tea."

"Would it make a difference for you?" Arthur chuckled at the unapproving glare his manservant gave him.

"Not more difference then it would make in _your_ tea, Sire." He said as he was tying the bag to the saddle.

"Hey!" the king snapped, but kept on smiling.

"Alright, lets get going, or you'll get grouchy." The warlock said and attempted to pull himself in the saddle, but embarrassingly found it to be something requiring too much effort, and his horse, unsure what his rider wants, stepped aside a few times at the repeated attempts; having the young man jump after her with one foot in the stirrup and uneasy grips on the cantle and the horn of the saddle, before he finally managed to mount the horse.

"What was that?"

"What?" He looked at the king, feeling very much out of breath and ears burning uncomfortably. "I couldn't get my footing right." He shrugged, getting his horse to move.

Arthur just looked at him baffled, then started after him.

"Are you ill?"

"No! Of course not!" he shook the question off like a dog shook water off his fur. "Just the horse.. you know.. Come on." That was embarrassing. He gripped the rein and urged the mount to go faster.

.

Arthur got back to the camp after some time, overly pleased with himself and the two rabbits he carried. He could've caught more, but let it slide. He only wanted a meal for now, they can hunt for more tomorrow. Getting near he noted that the fire was burning indeed, even if the flames were now smaller there was a right amount of amber in the fireplace that only needed some more wood on it to liven up again; and said wood was in a neat pile close to the campfire; bedrolls all set and the horses were well off. He then spotted a pair of worn brown boots and a few branches still covering his vision, but he realized it's his servant. Merlin was laying on the ground with his arms crossed, head propped up against a log on the ground and the king was already taking a breath to call out to him about lazing around; but Arthur stopped when he stepped around the branches and saw him. He wasn't smiling; more so than that he wasn't even awake.

"Merlin." He called out but his servant didn't even flinch. A hint of worry washed over the king again remembering that morning, and how breathless the man became after so much as mounting a horse and he quickly ran his gaze around the camp then slowly moved to the laying figure on the ground, thinking there might be something wrong, his hands moving by reflex as he crouched down next to the dark-haired man to reach his neck and check for a pulse, but no; his right hand stopped mid-air, once he realized Merlin was merely fast asleep.

Arthur looked at him and scoffed. Normally he would kick his ankles for him to get up and get on with preparing the rabbits, or splash him with some water and add some remarks about being useless and sleeping the day off, but for some reason Arthur found himself doing neither of those things. He just sat crouched next to him and looked at the young man; not even calling out to him.

Merlin was the one to wake Arthur up, and he was the one to put the candles out when the king went to bed; add to that the chores Arthur gave, - some necessary, others .._maybe-not-so-much_ necessary - and the chores no doubt Gaius gave, for a second the blonde man wondered how his servant manages all that. He did look tired at times. Suddenly it made sense why he talked him out of training that morning, and why he was so unhappy about the hunt; almost falling asleep on his feet, sudden weakness, not to mention the silence he resolved to if not poked to talk; he felt a pang of guilt for not realizing it sooner.

Upon scrutinizing his face a little more, Arthur noted that the man looked a little pale even now, but his features looked peaceful; his breathing steady and deep. The king crouched down closer to take a better look, - praying Merlin won't wake in that moment, as it would be very awkward to try and explain what he was doing, - but once he made sure that his servant was indeed just asleep, he figured preparing some rabbits can't be all that hard, so he retreated and moved about the camp as quiet as he could. – _well not too quiet of course, he was the king after all, what would anyone say should they see a king making dinner while his servant slept._

Arthur couldn't help but smile though. These things didn't weigh with such importance anymore. It didn't bother him as much as it used to, and Merlin didn't seem to hear him, he was too deep asleep. Clearly he needed the rest.

Besides, it will be much more amusing to tease him when he wakes in panic of oversleeping.

And preparing some rabbits can't be that hard, can it? _Can it?_


End file.
